Community-based interprofessional education for medical, nursing and dental students

The use of a 'process-based' approach which tracked the education and social processes connected to IPE has helped overcome some of the problems of using before-and-after designs.

Abstract

This paper presents final results from a 15-month project which evaluated the effectiveness of interprofessional education (IPE) for first and second year medical, nursing and dental students on a community-based placement. The paper initially discusses the current issues within the IPE literature. It goes on to provide background information of this placement. In presenting the project's methodology, the paper describes the use of a 'process-based' approach which tracked the education and social processes connected to IPE. Such an approach has helped overcome some of the problems of using before-and-after designs. Findings from this study are offered in relation to the perspectives of the three participant groups in the placement: students, tutors and service users/carers. The paper goes on to discuss these findings and to draw conclusions for community-based IPE.